Author launches two picture books

Six years may not seem a long time but in the world of children’s picture book writing, it can represent a whole generation of children.

Millers Flat author Kyle Mewburn launched not one but two new picture books to a packed crowd of children and adults at the Alexandra Library on Monday.

Have You Seen Tomorrow and We Saw a Spinosaurus are the first picture books Mewburn had released in the past six years.

The award-winning writer said it was "an amazing feeling" to be releasing the books.

"For the first time in six years I have a new picture book coming out and of course, it doesn’t rain, it pours, so I have two, which came out almost simultaneously," she said.

Award-winning children’s writer Kyle Mewburn reads one of her latest picture books We Saw a...
Award-winning children’s writer Kyle Mewburn reads one of her latest picture books We Saw a Spinosaurus at a book launch in Alexandra. It was one of two books she launched on Monday. Photo: Shannon Thomson
The writer gave a reading of both books followed by pikelets and signing autographs, much to the delight of her young fans.

"The books are on opposite ends of the spectrum in a way," she said.

"Because one is sort of a gentle fable about mindfulness and enjoying the day and not looking to tomorrow, today is as good as it is and to make the most of it ...

"The other is a romping, rhyming story called We Saw a Spinosaurus which [is] basically where every sentence rhymes with spinosaurus.

"Nothing rhymes with Spinosaurus and I had to create thousand of rhyming words."

shannon.thomson@odt.co.nz